Car power could keep your house running, even in a blackout

Using an i3 electrical vehicle battery, BMW's domestic power solution is the first instance of a car company using a electric car battery as an alternative to power storage in the home.

While Tesla's well-documented Powerwall or Nissan's home battery have put a similar concept into practice, BMW's version claims to be the first "complete" battery used in homes - implying they are practically interchangeable with the ones used in its cars.

Go green AND go home

Charged primarily via solar panels for that added greenness, BMW's in-home battery claims it can keep a standard appliance-using household powered for 24 hours, making it ideal for keeping energy bills low, or as a reliable backup during a power outage.

Staying on the theme of sustainability, BMW's home system uses old vehicle batteries in a program BWM calls "2nd Life." 2nd Life batteries - ones deemed "too drained" for car use - can still store plenty of juice for a home, allowing them to find a new place to hang out besides a landfill.

BMW hasn't announced when (or where) its home power setup will be available, but we hope it comes in time for storm season so we don't have to worry about power cutting out in the middle of-